Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant leaves from CM office to present the State budget 2024-25 in the Assembly on February 8, 2024.
Photo Credits: The Goan
GMC achieves milestones set out
The Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has stood out in terms of achieving the targets set in the budget last year with its Microbiology department getting the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory up and functioning as claimed by Sawant in his speech.
Another feather in its cap is the commencement last year of the Trans-catheter Aortic Valve Implementation (TAVI) procedure for patients with severe Aortic Stenosis by the Cardiology department. GMCH also became the first government hospital in the country to start Robotic Knee replacement surgeries through its Orthopedic Department.
The Directorate of Health Services (DHS) on the other hand, has had a mediocre outing this year in terms of goals set for it in the 2024-25 budget.
Sawant had listed seven primary health centre projects but most of them are either progressing at a snail’s pace or in a couple of cases like Mormugao and Porvorim, the proposals have only progressed up to the land acquisition stage and the first brick is yet to be laid.
Elsewhere in Betki of Priol constituency, work on a Rs 30-crore project for the reconstruction and upgradation of the Primary Health Centre is progressing at a significant pace. Ditto with the new PHC being constructed at Curtorim and Candolim.
Other PHC projects listed by Sawant in his budget included the setting up of RMD Nagargao and the construction of a Rural Medical Dispensary at Rivona under the Quepem PHC, which officials said have progressed satisfactorily.
No sign of ‘PPP policy’
In a bid to monetise buildings and infrastructure either lying idle or grossly under-utilised, Sawant had proposed in his budget speech that a Public Private Partnership (PPP) policy will be finalised this financial year. The policy is yet to be finalised but some government agencies have taken steps to achieve the goal of monetising their buildings and infrastructure, a case in point being the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG), leasing out the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium at Bambolim to the successful bidder Mumbai-based Dome Entertainment Pvt Ltd by which it expects to earn around Rs 25 lakhs every month for the next 10 years.
The move mentioned in the budget by Sawant to create Cluster Level Federation (CLF) proposed to comprise 1,000 to 1,500 self-help group members in each of these CLFs with their own offices and having their own staff is yet to take off. These CLFs were proposed so they could plan their own Business Development Plan and Annual Action Plan and were to be monitored by the Department for Rural Development.
Construction of iconic twin towers atop the new Zuari bridge
The construction work of the iconic twin towers atop the new Zuari bridge is expected to begin after the monsoons. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) was entrusted with the task of undertaking the Rapid Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study of the project.
Dilip Buildcon-owned subsidiary, Zuari Observatory Towers, has applied for various permissions with the concerned authorities like the Indian Navy, Coastal Zone Management Authority for CRZ clearance, Goa State Pollution Control Board for the consent to establish, etc. The contractor completed the wind tunnel test on the model. Each of the twin towers will comprise four decks of which three will be accessible to the public.
Re-introducing housing scheme for govt employees
After abruptly discontinuing the Housing Scheme in June 2020, the State government, with an eye on the 2022 Assembly elections, streamlined and reintroduced the House Building Advance (HBA) Scheme in 2021. As per the revised scheme, the employees would bear two per cent while the State government would bear a five per cent rate of interest. Currently, there are 1400 beneficiaries/borrowers of the HBA scheme.
Sources informed that as of date, the revised scheme is not in place though the talks are on wherein the new applicants will have to avail housing loans from the State’s premier financial institution the Economic Development Corporation (EDC).
The government has earmarked Rs 15 crore in its last budget announcing to re-introduce a new housing loan scheme.
Govt to tie up on PPP for redevelopment of various facilities
Goa government has signed an MoU with realty firm NBCC (India) Limited-National Buildings Construction Corporation for redevelopment projects worth Rs 10,000 crore without any budgetary support from the State.
The government has granted in-principle approval for NBCC to execute six projects namely, the redevelopment of Junta House, located at 18th June Road and currently housing several government offices, into a commercial establishment. The Government Garage, located at MG Road- Panaji will be also developed into a commercial space that includes offices and a hotel.
A new administrative building at Porvorim, redevelopment of circuit house and hotel at Altinho and demolition and redevelopment of government quarters at St Inez. A mini Convention Centre at Patto is also proposed as a commercial project.
School Standards Assessment and Accreditation Authority
Following the poor performance of the students in mathematics and science at the National Achievement Survey, the State government proposed to establish The Goa State School Standards Assessment and Accreditation Authority to assess quality standards of School Educational Institutions and for which necessary School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) was to be notified within six months.
A senior official at the Education Department, however, said that in 2023, the State established Vidya Samiksha Kendra to analyse data on student’s academic performance using advanced technologies like AI and machines. “Close to 3 lakhs students are registered under the Kendra and are being monitored,” the official said.
Tribal museum of freedom fighters
The government proposed to construct a Tribal Museum of Freedom Fighters of Tribal Communities in Bandora, Ponda. While the land has been identified, a whopping Rs 15 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre, the project has hit a roadblock due to a lack of information with regards to the lives of unsung freedom fighters from the community as well as other information on tribal art, folklores, lifestyle, etc. The Department of Tribal Welfare has now decided to approach the community for the information but the response is very poor.
Goa Regularisation Act: simplified procedure nears completion
The process of simplifying the procedure for disposing of applications under the Goa Regularisation of Unauthorized Construction Act, 2016, is nearing completion. The State government – after the Budget announcement - issued strict directives to expedite the process, given that over 5,500 applications were pending for a decision.
The Revenue Department thereafter laid down a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), specifying that only ownership disputes backed by a court order would be grounds for rejection. Disputes without a judicial order would not lead to outright rejection of applications.
As per available data as on December 2024, out of the 10,000 applications received for regularisation, the government rejected 3,092 applications and granted approval to 1,509. The number of pending cases, which stood at 5,583, has reportedly seen a significant reduction due to regular hearings.
The CM, in the 24-24 Budget had spoken about disposing of all cases by March 2025 -- efforts for improvement in clearing the backlog.
Power dept set to implement big budget promise: ‘smart metering’
One of the major projects proposed in the budget for the power sector, apart of course from the laying of underground cables which is an ongoing initiative for several years, was the replacement of 7.5 lakh monologue electricity meters with digital smart meters.
The project, fully financed by the Centre under RDSS was to commence in the current financial year. However, the State government has only now managed to overcome the red tape and grant cabinet clearance to the tender won by Digismart Networks Private Limited.
When the actual installation of these smart meters will commence on the ground, initially only for commercial, 3-phase consumers in phase-I, is anybody’s guess.
Other new initiatives which Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had proposed in the budget for the power department’s renewable energy division, have just about taken off with officials confirming that the new scheme for dishing out solar-powered water pumps for irrigation purposes and installation of solar street lights in all SC/ST inhabited regions of the State, already rolled out.
The official also said that the department has begun implementing another budget-related scheme related to the installation of rooftop power plants on homes of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families. The scheme involves payment of 25% of the cost by the beneficiary family and the government to bear the balance.
Yet another budget proposal involved adding 30 megawatts of solar power capacity by installing rooftop solar panels on government buildings and institutions besides buildings owned by aided educational institutions. Officials said, the project’s implementation is ongoing but could not say if the 30-megawatt capacity target mentioned by Sawant in his budget speech, has been achieved.
Operation theatre, goatery farm and cow ID project yet to take off
The proposed setting up of an Operation Theatre and rehabilitation facility for large animals at the Cattle Breeding Farm in Copardem, Sattari, has not made any progress since its announcement in the budget last year. Official sources have confirmed that there has been no movement on the project.
Similarly, the Chief Minister’s proposal to establish a Goatery Farm with 100 female and 10 male goats of two different breeds at the Government Cattle Breeding Farm in Copardem, with a budgetary allocation of Rs 1 crore, has also not taken shape.
Adding to the list of stalled initiatives, the proposed Muzzle Identification – GODHAAR, a unique identification system for cows akin to Aadhaar for humans, has yet to be implemented. Despite its potential to revolutionize cattle identification and tracking, work has not been initiated so far.
No vigilance committees for govt depts/orgs yet
While the State already has the existence of the Vigilance Department under the Chief Secretary, who also serves as the Chief Vigilance Officer; the proposal to establish Vigilance Committees for groups of government departments and organizations has not materialized even a year after its announcement in the Budget 2024-25.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had assured that these committees would be set up by involving politically neutral, public-spirited and qualified members of civil society to enhance the delivery of citizen-centric services, ensure the proper utilization of public funds, and monitor the quality of public works undertaken by various agencies.
AI-based chatbot implementation begins, full-scale rollout awaited
The implementation of an Artificial Intelligence-based chatbot solution – to provide citizens and stakeholders with instant access to relevant data without the need to visit government departments -- has commenced though not yet on a full scale.
The AI chatbot for Goa Online is currently under development even as the budget announcement had outlined its implementation across three key domains being Tourism, Public Grievances and Goa Online.
According to official sources, all government decisions regarding the project will be implemented in due course. Once the chatbot successfully covers these initial sectors, five additional sectors will be onboarded for integration.
River dredging delayed despite approval
Plans to dredge the mouth of River Chapora and desilt River Mapusa to improve boat movement and prevent flooding are yet to begin, even though the authorities have received the required approvals.
The Chief Minister had assured that the project would help low-lying areas avoid floods and make navigation easier but there has been no progress so far.
CoP building faces major delays, GSIDC yet to deliver
The construction of the state-of-the-art Ports terminal building has fallen behind schedule with the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) yet to complete the project despite more than six years of work.
According to the latest update on the GSIDC website, only 79 per cent of the administrative building -- including plumbing, civil works and fire-fighting systems -- has been completed even though the initial deadline for the Rs 25.17 crore project was in October 2024. The project reportedly began in January 2019.
Goa govt launches 75 Wi-Fi hotspots, more to follow
The Department of Information & Technology has launched 75 Wi-Fi hotspots across Goa, with an additional 75 still pending. CM Pramod Sawant, in his last Budget, announced that it is in the process of establishing over 100 Wi-Fi hotspots at identified locations to provide free internet services to citizens.
The initiative he explained is to enhance digital connectivity and ensure seamless access to internet services across Goa. Once fully implemented, the project is expected to significantly improve public access to online resources and e-governance services.
Talent development centre for faculty
The government promised to establish a state-of-the-art Talent Development Centre to provide world-class training to school/college faculty. This centre will house state-of-the-art Laboratories in Science and Mathematics, where classroom concepts are converted to hands-on experiential-based teaching and will be established with the support of the Indian Institute of Science. “Currently, the teachers are being trained on NEP,” sources said confirming that there is no development on the proposal.
New district court complex at Merces finally operational after delay
The newly constructed District and Sessions Courts & Subordinate Courts Complex at Merces, Tiswadi, which was initially scheduled for completion by May 2024 at a cost of Rs 178 crore, was inaugurated in October 2024 following a slight delay in construction. However, despite the grand inauguration, the state-of-the-art facility remained unoccupied and unutilized until a report by The Goan on February 27.
A day after the report, North Goa’s Principal District and Sessions Judge directed that the North Goa District and Sessions Court along with the Civil and Criminal Courts currently operating from the Lyceum Complex at Altinho commence functioning from the new complex at Merces from March 10.
In the latest communiqué, the government confirmed that the Courts have already begun operations from the new complex and that any communiqué be sent to the new address.
Veterinary college infra progressing but academic year unlikely to begin
The proposal to establish a College of Veterinary Science in Goa is still in the early stages with the commencement of the academic year unlikely in the near future. While construction work has commenced within the premises of the Veterinary Hospital at Curti, obtaining necessary approvals remains a challenge.
Official sources stated that obtaining permission for a veterinary college is a complex process as it involves multiple species of animals and requires clearance from the Veterinary Council of India (VCI).
“We are still in the construction phase. Once the building is complete, faculty and staff recruitment must follow. Thereafter, the VCI will conduct an inspection of the infrastructure and logistics. Only after it grants approval can the institute commence operations,” the source stated.
The government had announced the college to provide aspiring Goan students with an opportunity to pursue veterinary education without having to migrate to another State.
50% of cases to be settled under the Forest Rights Act by March 2025
As per the information, as of February, end, the government has managed to issue sanads or land titles to 900 claimants from the total 10,136 claims made so far by the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and other traditional forest dwellers.
Sources informed that under the Forest Rights Act, 10,136 claims were filed by the tribal and forest dwellers. Of these, 9,757 pertain to individuals, while 379 are community claims. So far, the government-appointed forest rights committee (FRC) has conducted spot verification of 7100 claims. The sub-division level committee has cleared 2,635 claims.
Heritage policy
Goa State Heritage Policy 2025, submitted to the government in December, last year, is awaiting cabinet approval, following which it will be implemented. The policy has proposed provisions for financial assistance and technical support to private heritage homes to aid their maintenance and to promote adaptive reuse for heritage tourism. The policy refers to more than 200 historic, archaeological, and heritage locations, and over a hundred private and government buildings with historic and heritage value, apart from focusing on preserving tangible assets.
Construction of Smruti Mandir
CM announced that as proposed by the expert committee which was constituted for restoration of temples destroyed during the Portuguese Era, the construction of Smruti Mandir will be taken up. However, more than a year after the announcement, the State has yet to identify a suitable site for the project.
Sources informed that the Directorate of Archaeology has approached the Revenue Department to identify government land for the memorial and the process is still ongoing.
More archaeological monuments/sites notified
New monuments or sites like Betul Fort, Nanus Fort, Rock Engravings at Mauxi, Stone circle at Cotigao, Kranti Veer Dipaji Rane’s House at Kumbharkhand, Sattari, Soliye temple at Canocana, Tank of Shri Vazreshwar Temple at Balli and Hath Katro Khamb at Old Goa have been notified as protected monuments.
Contributed by Shweta Kamat Mahatme, Vibha Verma and Ashley do Rosario
